Herbert: Tsunoda not Lawson best to replace "broken man" Perez

Lawson—not Yuki Tsunoda—will join Max Verstappen in the Red Bull's senior' team in 2025, as Perez was sent packing, which ex-F1 driver turned FIA Race Steward and occasional pundit Johnny Herbert believes the New Zealand 22-year-old is the wrong choice but agrees that the Mexican veteran had to go.

Perez's woeful form cost Red Bull the 2024 F1 constructors’ championship as Verstappen powered to the 2024 F1 drivers‘ title with 437 points to his credit. Checo, in the sister car, only scored 152 points by season's end.

Reflecting on Perez's demise in F1, Herbert said: "For me, there is a time as a driver when you have got to go somewhere where you can reboot and refresh. When you look at his face now, he is a broken man, crushed and destroyed by what Max is doing in the Red Bull every race.

"Checo has to say to himself, ‘I’ve had my time; I’ve had my window. For my own sanity and self-confidence, I have to go somewhere else.’ I’m not sure where that could be though. There’s hardly anything available," mused Herbert.

From the outside, it has been clear for a while that although rapid on occasion, Tsunoda does not have elite potential in the manner of Oscar Piastri, one of F1's standout rookies when he made his debut in 2023. And has grown into a Grand Prix winner in his 46-race career in the top flight.

Tsunoda made his 87th GP start at the 2024 season finale in Anu Dhabi, all for the RB junior team. More than any driver associated with the organisation's junior team program. Yet Lawson, with 11 starts, did enough to convince Helmut Marko and Christian Horner that he is better suited for the job.

This means that when all was considered by Red Bull—from talent, speed, composure, potential, PR image to telemetry and everything else that makes up an effective F1 driver—Lawson ticked more boxes than Tsunoda to step into the lion's den that is Verstappen's team.

Herbert is convinced Red Bull erred in their choice of Lawson over Tsunoda: “The one who has impressed me the most is Yuki. I like his feistiness; he’s not afraid to shout. I like his qualifying. Where he has the edge is his strong head. He is not scared to say things either about his team or the other drivers around him.

You need that type of mentality to go up against the best. Would he beat Max? I am not sure, but I think it would be close. That is what Red Bull needs," ventured Herbert.

While Tsunoda is set to stay at Racing Bulls (what Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri, and VCARB will be called next year) for another season, his only hope of a chance to share a garage with Verstappen is if Lawson fails.